The present invention relates to a composition and process for the desizing and scouring of textile materials so as to render the materials more suitable for and receptive to bleaching and dyeing treatments.
As described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,617,206, textile materials are conventionally subjected to a series of preparative treatments prior to the dyeing and finishing of the material. Generally, such preparative treatments include the desizing and scouring of the fiber which comprises the textile material so as to render the fiber more receptive to dyeing. Conventionally, the dyeing of textiles requires a four step operation initially involving a pre-bleaching or desizing treatment which may be carried out batchwise or continuously. While often times the desize treatment by which the sizing material is solubilized for removal by washing may be carried out by enzyme solution, caustic scours employing sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide di- or tri-ethanol amines are also known. This step is necessary in order to remove such foreign matter on the textile material as waxes, colorants and the like which may be present on the textile material and if not removed would adversely affect the transfer of dye thereto. Subsequent to the scouring treatment, greige cloth is generally subjected to an acid scouring for example by treatment with a solution containing from 0.25 to 1.0% sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid or mixtures thereof. Then, generally subsequent to an intermediate washing step, the material is subjected to a bleaching operation which conventionally involves treatment with a solution containing 0.25 to 0.5% hydrogen peroxide and sufficient sodium silicate and caustic soda to render the solution alkaline having a pH of from about 10 to 11. After further washing, the material is then ready for dyeing.
A number of scouring compositions and surfactant/solvent/water compositions have been employed heretofore for the treatment of textile materials so as to render same more receptive to dyeing. A number of these compositions are described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,617,206; 3,658,717 and 3,719,597. One of the problems one encounters with the scouring materials and treatment compositions of the prior art is their instability at elevated temperatures (e.g. 200.degree. F.) in solutions containing more than about 2% caustic. Furthermore, these prior compositions do not eliminate the conventional four step treatment of the textile material prior to dyeing.
According to the present invention, there is provided an emulsifier-solvent scouring composition which is stable in at least in 3% by weight aqueous caustic solutions at elevated temperatures up to 212.degree. F. Furthermore, the compositions of the present invention enable one to combine the conventional steps of desizing or caustic scouring and acid scouring treatment into one simultaneous operation.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved emulsifier-solvent scour composition which is stable in aqueous solutions containing at least 3% by weight caustic.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a more efficient method for the treatment of textile materials to render same receptive to dyeing, and thus enhance the appearance of the resulting textile material so treated.
These and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description and claims which are set forth hereinbelow.